Removing underline not working in Illustrator using Extendscript

[Jothi Sankar Anand S]

Hi Folks

The below example not woking in illustror. Initially I applied underline = true for the textrange working fine but while removing its not working. Please help on this.

var doc = app.activeDocument;

for (var i = 0; i < doc.textFrames.length; i++) {

var txtFrame = doc.textFrames[i];

var textRange = txtFrame.story.textRange;

textRange.start = 0;

textRange.length = 5;

textRange.characterAttributes.underline = false;

}
Thanks in advance

[m1b]

Hi @Jothi Sankar Anand S I think you have found a bug. I have posted a bug report. Please vote on it.

Here is my test script:

/**
 * @author m1b
 * @discussion https://community.adobe.com/t5/illustrator-discussions/removing-underline-not-working-in-illustrator-using-extendscript/m-p/14895226
 */
(function () {

    var doc = app.activeDocument,
        tf = doc.activeLayer.textFrames.add(),
        tr = tf.textRanges;

    tf.contents = 'ab';

    // change an attribute on the first character
    tf.textRange.characters[0].characterAttributes.baselineShift = 1;

    var results = ['Results:'];

    // test 1 on first character
    tr[0].characterAttributes.underline = true
    results.push('tr[0] underline = TRUE: '
        + (true === tr[0].characterAttributes.underline ? 'PASSED' : 'FAILED'));

    // test 2 on first character
    tr[0].characterAttributes.underline = false;
    results.push('tr[0] underline = FALSE: '
        + (false === tr[0].characterAttributes.underline ? 'PASSED' : 'FAILED'));

    // test 1 on second character
    tr[1].characterAttributes.underline = true;
    results.push('tr[1] underline = TRUE: '
        + (true === tr[1].characterAttributes.underline ? 'PASSED' : 'FAILED'));

    // test 2 on second character
    tr[1].characterAttributes.underline = false;
    results.push('tr[1] underline = FALSE: '
        + (false === tr[1].characterAttributes.underline ? 'PASSED' : 'FAILED'));

    app.redraw();
    alert(results.join('\n'));

})();

And my results are:

[sttk3 · Accepted solution]

As for CharacterAttributes.underline, the result is caused by Illustrator's specification that it is ignored if we set the same value as the character style being applied.

The following script has a workaround function setUnderline to avoid this. Instead of just setting the underline property, try specifying it via setUnderline.

(function() {
  var doc = app.activeDocument ;
  for(var i = 0; i < doc.textFrames.length; i++) {
    var txtFrame = doc.textFrames[i] ;
    var textRange = txtFrame.story.textRange ;
    textRange.start = 0 ;
    textRange.length = 5 ;
    
    setUnderline(textRange, false) ;
  }
})() ;

function setUnderline(textRange, dstUnderline) {
  var appliedCharacterStyle = textRange.characterStyles[0] ;
  var styleUnderline = appliedCharacterStyle.underline ;

  if(styleUnderline === dstUnderline) {
    appliedCharacterStyle.underline = !styleUnderline ;
    textRange.underline = dstUnderline ;
    appliedCharacterStyle.underline = styleUnderline ;
  } else {
    textRange.underline = dstUnderline ;
  }
}

Similar post:

Apply Character direction to textframe characters via Extendscript

[m1b]

Thanks @sttk3 that workaround is nice! I tried it with my test script and it worked. (I still consider this behaviour as a bug, by the way.)

- Mark

[sttk3]

It was possible to specify this correctly until Illustrator CS3. I would consider it a bug too.

[m1b]

You did a great job to discover the problem. Thanks! I am surprised I hadn't noticed it before.

[Jothi Sankar Anand S]

Thanks a lot @sttk3 

Its working fine for me.

[Jothi Sankar Anand S]

HI @sttk3 

Superscript and Subscript working well. But while revert back to normalbaseline its not working.
Can you please advise on this below

var doc = app.activeDocument;

for (var i = 0; i < doc.textFrames.length; i++) {

var txtFrame = doc.textFrames[i];

var textRange = txtFrame.story.textRange;

textRange.start = 0;

textRange.length = 5;

// textRange.characterAttributes.baselinePosition = FontBaselineOption.SUPERSCRIPT; // this one works well

textRange.characterAttributes.baselinePosition = FontBaselineOption.NORMALBASELINE; // this one not working

}

Note: Need help on strikethrough also

Thanks in advance

[sttk3]

The reason it does not work is exactly the same as in the above script and the case of “Apply Character direction to textframe characters via Extendscript”.

Try writing your own this time.